Wing mounting for helicopterairplanes



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 31, 1948 INVENTOR.

JUHN MURTKA Dec. 1, 1953 J. MORTKA 2,661,163

WING MOUNTING FOR HELICOPTER-AIRPLANES Original Filed Aug. 51, 1948 5Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR.

JUHN MEIETKA 1953 J. MORTKA WING MOUNTING FOR HELICOPTER-AIRPLANES 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Aug. 31, 1948 INVENTOR.

JEIHN MEIRTKA Dec. 1, 1953 J. MORTKA WING MOUNTING FORHELICOPTER-AIRPLANES Original Filed Aug. a1, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR. JUHN HELRTKA I i I VIII/l Dec. 1, 1953 J M-ORTKA 2,661,168

WING MOUNTING FOR HELICOPTER-AIRPLANES Original Filed Aug. 51, 1948 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Jurm MDRTKA Patented Dec. 1, 1953 WING MOUNTING FOR HELICOPTER-AIRPLANES John Mortka, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

47,080, August 31, 1948. "This application January 23, 1953, Serial No.332,809

8 Claims. (01. 244-49) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in an aircraft. This is a substitute for my abandonedapplication, filed on August 31, 1948, Serial Number 4.7,080.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of anew and improved aircraft characterized by a fuselage provided withwings pivotally attached to the fuselage and arranged to be extendedlaterally from the sides of the fuselage when the aircraft is beingpowered by a propeller on the front end of the fuselage in a manner toproduce the usual lift as in a conventionally constructed aircraft.

Still another object of the present invention proposes the provision ofstruts pivotally attached to the wings and slidably extended throughbrackets mounted on the fuselage, which brackets are provided with latchmembers engageable with latch cutouts formed in the struts for holdingthe struts in positions in which the wings will be operatively extendedfrom the sides of the fuselage or inoperatively depended along the sidesof the aircraft.

A further object of the present invention proposes the provision of anelectrical control system including solenoids operative on the pivotallymounted struts and arranged in a manner to draw the struts to move thewings from their operative positions extended laterally from the sidesof the fuselage to their inoperative positions depended along the sidesof the fuselage.

It is a further object of the present invention to construct a new andimproved aircraft which is simple and durable, which is efficient inoperation and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the aircraft constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial transverse vertical sectional view takenon the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion 6f Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line l! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a partial transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a partial transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line99 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a schematic wiring diagram of the controls for the movementof the wings.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through aportion of the fuselage of the aircraft.

Fig. 12 is a partial transverse vertical sectional view taken on theline l2-l2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a partial transverse vertical sectional view taken on theline l3l3 of Fig 11.

Fig. 14 is a partial transverse vertical sectional viewv taken on theline I l-l4 of Fig. 11.

. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a portion of the tail assembly.

Fig. 16 is a. horizontal sectional view taken on the line l6-l6 of Fig.11.

The aircraft, in accordance with the present invention, includes afuselage 20 provided with the usual entrance door 2i and windows 22. Thefuselage 20 is supported by the usual undercarriage 23 and has wings 24which are extendable laterally from the sides of the fuselage. The rearof the fuselage 26 is provided with a single tail surface 25.

The front of the fuselage 20 is provided with a propeller 26 arranged tobe rotated in a vertical plane by a motor, not shown on the drawing, forcreating the usual forward thrust to propel the aircraft in a forwarddirection.

A housing 21 extends vertically from the fuselage 20, at the rear of thewings 24, and houses a motor 28, see Fig. 1. A driven shaft 29 extendsvertically from the motor 28 and projects from the top of the housing 21and carries on its upper end a rotor 30. Thus, the shaft 29 is rotatedby the motor 28 to rotate the rotor 36 in a horizontal plane and createa vertical lift and drive'the aircraft in a forward and backwarddirection as is known in conventionally constructed helicopters.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the propeller 26 and the rotoreach have a separate source of power so that the pilot of the aircraftmay at will switch from the propeller 26 to the rotor 30. The propeller26 is constructed to have a pair of blades 26*, arranged one behind theother, on opposite sides of the hub 26 of the propeller. The rotor 30 issimilar in construction to the propeller 26 and has a pair of blades 30*arranged one beneath the other, on opposite sides 3 of the hub 30 seeFigs. 1 to 3. These constructions of the propeller 26 and 30 render thesame more efficient and create the effect of having provided thefuselage 20 with two propellers and two rotors.

As previously indicated, the wings 24. are pivotally attached to thesides of the fuselage 2d and are to be extended laterally from the sidesthereof as indicated by the full lines in Figs. 1 to 3, when theaircraft is being propelled :by the propeller 26 to create the usuallift as in a conventionally constructed aircraft. However, when theaircraft is being propelled by the rotor Bil, the wings 2e are to bepivoted to their inoperative positions depended along the sides of thefuselage 23, as indicated by the dot and dash lines 24 in Figs. 1 and 2.

More particularly, the top of the fuselage 23 is provided with arectangular frame 3!, see Figs. 2 and 4, to which the wings arepivotally attached. Adjacent the fuselage 2c, the wings 26 are providedwith depending straps 32 which have their ends securely attached toL-shaped ribs 33 by means of rivets 3d and the ribs 33 are in turnmounted upon the bottom faces of the wings 2 5. The intermediateportions of the straps 32 are rotatively turned about rods 35 which arefixedly supported by brackets 3t mounted on the frame 3i.

Means is provided for supporting the wings as in pivoted positions inwhich they extend laterally from the sides of the fuselage 26 asillustrated by the full lines in Figs. 1 to 3. This means ischaracterized by struts which extend downwards and inwards at an angle.The upper ends of the struts 3'5 are pivotally supported by means ofpins 38 upon bosses 59 mounted on ribs it. The ribs at are in turnmounted upon the bottom faces of the wings 2t intermediate of the endsthereof. [is shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the struts 3'! are longitudinallyoffset so that their bottom ends will not interfere with theirmovements, as will become clear as this specification proceeds.

The bottom ends of the struts 37 are slidably extended throughcorresponding openings ii formed in brackets 42 which depend from thefuselage 20. Latch members 43 are pivotally supported intermediate oftheir ends upon the brackets 62 by means of pins i l. The latch membersit are disposed to engage complementary latch cutouts tit, see Figs. 8and 9, for locking the struts 81' in fixed positions and for holding thewings 2 in positions extended laterally from the sides of the fuselage.

Contraction springs it are provided for urging the latch members 53 intopositions in which they will retain their engaged positions with thelatch cutouts d5 of the struts Bl. There is one contraction spring ii;for each latch member 53, and each spring it has one end attached to theadjacent end of its respective latch member 53 and its other endattached to a fixed portion of the fuselage As shown on the drawings,the fuselage 2c is provided with depending lugs All to which the otherends of the contraction springs G6 are attached.

Manually controllable means is provided for moving the latch members 43in opposition to the pull created by the contraction'springs iii; todisengage the latch members from the latch cutouts 55 and free thestruts 3'5 to slide in the openings ii in the brackets freeing the wingsas to move from the full line positions ,shown in Figs. 1 to 3 to theinoperative positions .mounted on the shaft 23 outside the bracketsthere is a pair of dogs one for each of the latch members '33. Each ofthe dogs 58 has an out-turned end ilil see Figs. 6 and 7, disposedbeneath the free end of the respective latch memberlit.

A sprocket wheel 5! is mounted on one end of the shaft all and engagedby a continuous sprocket chain 52 which extends into the fuselagethrough an appropriate opening or openings provided for this purpose.Within the fuselage 2d, the sprocket chain 52 ehgagesover a secondsprocket wheel fixedly mounted on a stud shaft fi l rotatively supportedin a suitable bearing fixedly mounted upon a fixed portion of thefuselage adjacent the pilots seat. Also mounted on the stud shaft 5 3there is ,a handle by which the stud shaft 5d can be turned, to turn theshaft (it, through the medium of the sprocket wheels 5i and53 and thesprocket chain 52, and in turn raise the outturned ends 56 of the dogs53'; and pivot the latch members as against the action of the springs 36moving the latch members clear of the latch cutouts i-i freeing the endsof the struts 3'? to slide through the openings ll formed in thebrackets t2.

Adjacent their pivoted ends, the struts 3?? are f rmed with latchcutouts 56, see Figs. 2 and 3, which are arranged to be engaged by thelatch members 43 in the depended positions of the wings 2% for securingthe wings 25 from flopping around when in their depended positions.

A manually controllable electrical means is provided for insuring thatthe wings 2d will move from their positions extended laterally from thesides of the aircraft to their positions depended inoperatively alongthe sides of the fuselage is when the aircraft is in flight.

This electrical movable means comprises solenoids 5'1 slidably mountedon the lower ends of the struts 3i between the brackets t2. Oppositesides of the solenoids are formed with outwardly extending trunnions 58which .turnably and slidab-ly engage complementary vertical slots formedin supports d3 whichdepend from the bottom of the fuselage 23. Thispermits the solenoids to turn and slide vertically in accordance withforces imposed thereon by sliding of the struts 3'? through the openingsii in the brackets 42.

As shown in Fig. 10, the solenoids 5? are connested in series in acircuit 5! including a source of electrical energy and a normally openmanually closa'ble switch 62. The switch is located within the fuselage2t adjace. t the pilots seat and is arranged tobe closed by the pilot.

To lower the wings 24, the pilot first turns the handle at to rotate theshaft to move the dogs 5!; to pivot the latch members as against theaction of the springs it and move the latch memhere 43 clear of thelatch cutouts in the struts 3?. The pilot then closes the switch 62 toenergize the solenoids 51 to pull downward on the struts to pivot thewings 2e downwards. While the Wings 26 are moving downwards, the pilotturns the handle 55 back to rotate the shaft 38 in the oppositedirection and move the dogs away from the ends of the latch members 43freeing the latch members 43 to be returned to their starting positionsby the springs 46. When the wings 2d reach their full downward pivotedpositions, the latch cutouts- 56 will then be aligned with the latchmembers =13, and the contraction springs 46 will snap the latch members43 into those latch cutouts 5% locking the struts 3? against furthermovement in either direction and in turn securely locking the wings 25in their inoperative positions depended along the sides of the fuselage20.

An auxiliary means is provided for assisting the struts 3'! and relatedmechanisms in holding the wings 24 in their operative positions extendedlaterally from the sides of the fuselage 2!! of the aircraft.

In their operative positions extended laterally from the sides of thefuselage 2B, the wings 24 have portions which overlap each other overthe frame M, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. The auxiliaryholding means is comprised of fixed lugs 63, see Figs. 4 and 5, whichdepend from a fixed portion 64 of the topmost of the overlapped portionsof the wings Z4. Hooks are pivotally supported upon the lower ends ofthe lugs 63 by means of pins 56. Thehooks are of a length to extendthrough the lowermost of the overlapped portions of the wings 24 and beengaged with a complementary fixed portion 67 of the frame 3!, as shownin Fig. 4. Leaf springs 63 are fixedly attached at their ends to thelugs 63 by means of spaced pins 69, and the free ends of the leafsprings 68 engage the sides of the hooks 65 for retaining the hooks 65in pivoted positions in which they will be disengaged from the fixedportion 51 of the frame 3i; Hand rotative screws 19 are threadedlyrotatively extended through complementary bushings H formed on the frame3|, one in alignment with each of the hooks 65. The

inner ends of the screws 1e are formed with enlarged heads 12 by whichthe screws m may be turned for pivoting the hooks 55 against the actionof their respective leaf springs 58 for pivoting the hooks 65 toward andengaging them The undercarriage 23 includes a plurality of substantiallyvertically extending braces I3 which support at their lower ends ahorizontal frame I'd. The horizontal frame 14 isprovided with a spacedpair of front wheels '15 and a single rear wheel is for supporting theaircraft on dry land. Mounted on the horizontal frame M adjacent each ofthe wheels 15 there is a float 17 for supporting the aircraft on water.The undercarriage 23 is of a suflicient height so that when the wheelsi5 and it are resting on dry ground, the fuselage will be at a properelevation so that the tip ends of the wings 2 1, when incperativelydepended along the sides of the fuselage 20, will not touch the dryground as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The single tail surface 25 is universally supported to turn in avertical plane extended longitudinally of the fuselage 29, asillustrated by the dot and dash lines 25 in Fig. l, and to turn in avertical plane extended laterally of the fuselage 6 20., as illustratedby the dot and dash lines 25 in Fig. 3. When the tail surface ishorizontal and turned as illustrated by the dot and dash lines 25' inFig. 1, the tail surface acts to control ascending and descending of theaircraft when propelled by the propeller 26. However, when the tailsurface-25 is turned to the vertical position illustrated by the dot anddash lines 25 in Fig. 3, the tail surface 25 may also be turned, whilein this vertical position, in one direction or the other for controllingturning and banking of the aircraft, when powered by the propeller 26.On the other hand, when the aircraft is being propelled by the rotor 30,then the tail surface 2 5 may be turned to the vertical position, il-

lustrated by the dot and dash lines 25" in Fig. 3,

to retain the fuselage from turning in a horizontal plane under theinfluence of the turning torque created by the turning rotor 39.

The back end of the fuselage 2:3 is formed with a vertical slot 18between the main portion of the fuselage 26 and a cone-like end portion19 secured to the rear end of the main portion of the fuselage 26 bymeans of a single strap 86 located at the bottom thereof. The tailsurface 25 is shaped to extend about the end of the fuselage 251 and hasa pair of inwardly directed axially aligned tubular members 8! extendedinto the fuselage 20 from opposite sides of the vertical slot 18.. Thetubular members iii are arranged in axial alignment with tubulartrunnions 82 which extend from diametrically opposite sides of a rod 83which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage 20. Arod 84 extends from side to side of the tail surface 25 and passesthrough the tubular trunnions 82 and through the tubular members SI ofthe tail surface 25. The rod 84 has a force fit in the tubular members 8i, but rotatively extends through the tubular trunnions 82 of the rod 33permitting movements of the tail surface 25 in the directions indicatedby the dot and dash lines 25 in Fig. 1.

The rear end of the rod 83 is rotatively supported in a bearing 35formed intermediate the ends of a support brace 86 extendeddiametrically across the cone-likeend portion W. The front end of therod 83 is supported in spaced bearings 81 mounted on the upper ends ofarms 83 which extend vertically from L-shaped brackets 89 mountedbetween the sides of the main portion of the fuselage 2d. The bearings8'? are preferably of the thrust type, as is generally known in the art,to hold the rod against longitudinal movement.

Manually operable control means is provided for turning the rod 83 tomove the tail surface in the vertical plane extended laterally of thefuselage 25, as illustrated by the dot and dash line 25" in Fig. 3.

The manual control means is comprised of a tubular shaft 9i! rotativelysupported in a bearing 9| supported upon a fixed portion of the fuselage20 adjacent the pilots seat. The top end of the tubular shaft 96 isprovided with a control handle as. The bottom end of the tubular shaft90 is rotatively supported upon an L-shaped support 93 extendedlaterally across the fuselage and above the support 93, the tubularshaft 99 is provided with a bevel gear segment 94. lhe gear segment 94in turn meshes with a bevel pinion 95 fixedly mounted upon a horizontalshaft 95 having its front end rotatively supported in a bearing 91mounted on the L-shaped support 93 and its rear end rotatively extendedthrough a bearing 9 amounted upon thexforemo'stiof :ithe'spair ofbrackets 89.

Beyond the bearing :93, :the shaft $6 :fixedly carries a sprocket 99over which there extends .a continuous chain e'I 00. extends over a:sprocket I III mounted-on the trod .The chain :lzlliltin turn position25" of Fig. 3 Lisa somewhat exaggerated position, as the tail surface 25is retainedfrom assuming a .true vertical-position by contact with thestrap 86 which connectstheconedike end por- 'tion "I9 to the'mainportionof the 'fuse'lageZIl.

Neutralizing means is provided in connection with the rod-'83 forholding 'the ltaillsur'facei'25 in a neutral horizontal positionextended laterally of the fuselage 20. Details of the neutralizing meansare illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 and comprises a hat member Hi2mounted intermediate of its ends fixedly upon the rod 83 rearward ofth'e'bearings 81. The ends of the flat mem'ber T02 are formedwithdownturned portions iIIl'S. Flanged rollers Io-I are enga ed in thejunction of the downturned portions fllS-with the'bottom 'eiigeoi theflat member I02 and tare rotatively supported *upon thetopends-of'pairs'oi'armsjlllfi. There-is apair'of arms Ifltfor each'of therollers ittand the arms of each pair are located on opposite sides ofthe rollers I8 3. The bottom ends of "the arms Ill-5are'pivotally*attached by means of pins 1% to-the upstandingarms of-a U-shaped channel II)? which extends across'the fuselage 2t.Contraction-springs I 08 operate between pins 109 mounted on the armsI05 adjacent the top ends thereof and lugs I I9 which extend from thesides of the bottom of the U-shaped channel ill-i. These springs I08draw the arms I 05 outwards into contact with stop members I II mountedon the U-shaped channel IU'I adjacent the outer edge of each of the armsM5. 'The stop members I' I'I limit outward pivoting o'fthe arm's I05 andretain the arms in pivoted positions in which the flanged rollers I04will b'e'engagedin the junction of the downturned portions -I 03 withthe bottom edge of the flat member I02 as clearly shown in Fig, 12. Inthis position, the tail surface 25 is in its neutral horizontal positionextended laterally of the fuselage 2E] of the aircraft.

When the rod 83 is turned in one direction or the-other for turning thetail'surface 25 the downturned end portion I03 on one side of the fiatmember H12 will move away from its flanged :roller Iiill; however, thesprings I08 operating on the arms I05 of that flanged roller I04 will berestrained from pulling the arms I05 outwards by reason of theengagement of the outer edges of those arms I05 with the respective stopmembers II I. simultaneously, the downturned end portion meat the other"end of the *flat member "I02 will pivot its respective arms M5 inwardsloading the respective springs I08 to return the rod 83 and in turn thetail surface '25 to its neutral horizontal position when the turningtorque on :the rod 33 is released.

Manually operable controls are also provided for turning the tailsurface '25 in a vertical plane extended longitudinally of the fuselage'2-0, as illustrated by the dot and dash lines 25' in'Fig.

1. Details of this latter-mentioned manual controliareiillustratediniFigs. 11, Band .14 andicom prise a block on the :rod '83 rearward of"the "fiat 'm'ember I02. This block II2 is'rotativelybuthnonssli'dablymounted onthe'rod 83 so as not to inter- -fere'with rotations :ofitherodfor turning the tail surface in .the vertical plane extendedlaterally .ofth-e fuselage. 'More particularly, the block 'I I2iisapro'v ided'witha radially -inwardly extending pin III3 -whichengages a icirculargroove H4, see Fig. 513, formed .in :the .tro'd 83.

Extended alongthesidesof'the block I I2 there is aipair-ofverticallevers I I '5 pivotally supported intermediate of their endsupon theiside's or the hlock II-2 by means of pins 1 I6. I he top ends=nf:.the:l'evers rH 5 are bent to extend along the front zand rear faces'oftthebottomiportion of a link 11 i, which is pivotally attacheditothetop 'endsoft'he levers I I5 to pivot in a plane extended transverseofzthe:fuselag'e 2-8, by apivot pin I18. llhe'top fend 'of thelinkH'l'iis bifurcated to receive-the lflfOIltBl'ldOfE horizontalilinkl I9.The link H9 is .pivotally attached to thellink II? to pivot in avertical'spl'ane, by: a pin I20.

The rear endro'f theilink [It is bifurcated to .ir'eceive the front endof a rearwardly extending 'link i2 1. The link I ZI is pivotallyattached to the link I I9 to 'pivot ina horizontal plane by a .pin 1:22.The rear 'endof the rearwardly extending link 12=ispivota'llyattached'to a lug I23 roitatively but non-slidably mountedupon an inter- :mediate portion of a rod 12'4. The rod IE is disposedabove the rod 8 and extends parallel thereto. Spaced verticallyextending arms I25 having their lower ends biiurcated, see Figs. 11 and1d,:for engagement over'the inner ends of the :tubularwmembers SI. crewsI25 are threaded through the bottomends 'o'f'th'e arms I for se- :curingthem'in fixed positions upon the inner ends of ithei'tubular members BI.The upper ends of the arms I25 are formed with openings forre- :c'eivingthe endsof the-rod I2 1 which are securely mounted in position withinthe openings of the :arms I25 bymeans of rivets 'I 21.

Thus, when the lever's 4 I5'are pivoted in one direction or the other,the tubular memb'ers sI rwill-be'turned, through the medium of theinteriposed links, relative-to the rod tii for turning the tail surfacein either of the two directions indicated by the dot and dash lines 25'in Fig. 1 to control-ascending and-descending of the aircraft 'undernormal ilight conditions. The pivotalccnnections of the ends of therearwardly extending link IZIandthe pivotal connection of the lower endof the link ii i to the top ends of the levers -I-'I5 permit a freemovement of the tail surface 25 in the vertical plane extended laterallyof the fuselage it under influence of the turning of the rod 83, aspreviously described. Under such turning influences, the .rearwardlyextending link I21 assumes various angular pivoted positions between thelink H9 and the lug i223 which tends to shorten the straight linedistance which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage2i between the link H9 and the lug I23 imposinga slight turning motionon the tail surface 25 in the vertical plane extended longitudinally ofthe fuselage 29'; however, this can be compensated for by the pilot, andmore particularly by pivoting the levers I i5 as will become clear asthis description proceeds.

Rotatively but non-slidably extended through the tubular shafttfl thereis a shaft I28, the top end of which is provided with a control handle I29. The bottom end of the shaft 128 has fixedly attached-thereto aradially'extending link 'i-St,

The outer end of the radially extending link I39,

is pivotally attached by a pivot pin I3l to the front end of arearwardly extending connector bar I32. A vertical forked member I33 ispivotally supported intermediate of its ends upon a bracket I34, by apin 535. The bracket I34 is in turn supported upon a support I35extended transversely of the fuselage 2d. The lower end of the forkedmember I33 is pivotally attached to the rear end of the rearwardlyextending connector bar I32, by a pivot pin I31.

The bifurcated end of the forked member I33 has its arms extending alongthe lower ends of the levers I I5. Each of the levers i i is formed withan outwardly extending trunnion 353 which slidably extends through a.vertical slot I33 formed in the respective arm of the bifurcated end ofthe forked member I33. Thus, as the control handle I29 is moved in onedirection or the other, the connector bar I 32 will be moved forwardsand rearwards to correspondingly pivot the forked member I33 andreversely pivot the levers I l5 and ultimately move the tail surface inthe vertical plane extended longitudinally of the fuselage 2d.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Under normal operating conditions, the aircraft moves through the airunder the influence of the forward thrust created by the rotating propeller 26 and with the wings 24 operatively extended laterally from thesides of the fuselage 20. The pilot moves the control handles 82 andIZil to control movements of the tail surface 25 to control both bankingand turning of the aircraft and vertical ascent and descent thereof.Under these normal operating conditions, the rotor is inoperative.

In the event something goes wrong with the aircraft rendering itimpossible to continue flight under the influence of the propeller 26,the pilot immediately shuts off the motor (not shown) which rotates thepropeller 2'5 and energizes the motor 28 to rotate the rotor 30. Thisconverts the aircraft into one of the helicopter type, and it istherefore necessary for the pilot to move the wings 24 to theirinoperative position depended along the sides of the fuselage 25, asillustrated by the dot and dash lines 24 in Figs. 1 and 2. To accomplishthis, the pilot first turns the handle 55 to rotate the shaft 48 in adirection to cause the dogs 50 to engage the free ends of the latchmembers 43 and pivot the same against the holding action of thecontraction springs it disengaging the latch members 43 from the latchcutouts 45 in the lower ends of the struts 31. This frees the struts 37for downward movement in the openings ll of the brackets 42; While theparts are in this position, the pilot closes the switch 52, see Fig. 10,to energize the solenoids 5'! and draw downward on the struts 3'I. Whilethe struts 31 are moving downwards the pilot turns the handle back toits starting position to release the latch members 533 to snap into thelatch cutouts 55, when the struts 3i reach their fully down position,and retain the struts 31 and in turn the wings M in their loweredposition in which they will not interfere with the operation of therotor so. The aircraft may now be flown to its destination or a safeemergency landing may be made under the power of the rotating rotor 3d.When on the ground, the wings 24 may be lifted to their normal positionextended laterally from the sides of the fuselage 25 Operation of theother parts of the present aircraft will be clear from the foregoingdescription 10 anda further and more complete description of theiroperation is not believed to be necessary.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to thepreoise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

. In an aircraft, a fuselage, wings pivotally mounted on the sides ofsaid fuselage to be movable betweeninoperative positions wherein saidwings are depended along the sides of said fuselage and operativepositions wherein said wings are laterally extended from the sides ofsaid fuselage with their adjacent ends overlapped at the top of saidfuselage, and means for supporting said wings in positions extendedlaterally from the sides of said fuselage.

2. In an aircraft, a fuselage, wings pivotally mounted on the sides ofsaid fuselage to be movable between inoperative positions wherein saidwings are depended along the sides of said fuselage and operativepositions wherein said wings are laterally extended from the sides ofsaid fuselage with their adjacent ends overlapped at the top of saidfuselage, and means for supporting said wings in positions extendedlaterally from the sides of said fuselage, said supporting meanscomprising struts pivotally attached at their upper ends to theundersurfaces of said wings intermediate of their ends, brackets mountedon said fuselage and through which the lower ends of said struts extend,said struts having their lower ends formed with latch cutouts, and latchmembers pivotally mounted on said brackets for engagement with saidlatch cutouts for holding said struts in operative positions in whichsaid wings extend laterally from the sides of said fuselage.

3. In an aircraft, a fuselage, wings pivotally mounted on the sides ofsaid fuselage to be movable between inoperative positions wherein saided on said fuselage and through which the lower 1 ends of said strutsextend, said struts having their lower ends formed with latch cutouts,and

: latch members pivotally mounted on said brackets for engagement withsaid latch cutouts for holding said struts in operative positions inwhich said wings extend laterally from the sides of said fuselage, andcontraction springs operating between free ends of said latch membersand said fuselage urging said latch members into a posi-. tion to retainengagement with said latch cut-:

outs.

4. In an aircraft, a fuselage, wings pivotally fuselage with theiradjacent ends overlapped at accrues:

the top' of said fuselage, andmeansfor supports ingtheir lower endsformedwith latch cutouts,- and: latch members pivotally mounted on saidbrackets for engagement with said-latch cutouts for holding said strutsin operativepositions:

inwhich said wings extend laterally from the sides of said fuselage, andcontraction springs operating between freeendsof' said latch mem bersand said fuselage urgingsaidl'atohmembers into a position to retainengagement with said latch cutouts, and means formanually mov ing saidlatch members against the action of I topof said fuselage, and means forsupporting.

said wings in" positions extended laterally from the sides of 'saidfuselage; said supporting means comprising struts pivotally attached attheir upper ends to the undersurfacesofjsaid wings in termediate oftheir ends, brackets mounted on said fuselage and through which thelower. ends of said struts extend; saidi-struts having their lower endsformed" with latch cutouts, andlatch.

memberspivotall'y mounted onsaid' brackets for engagement with saidlatch cutouts: for holding said struts in operative positions in whichsaid wings extendlaterally-from the sides of saidifuse lage; andcontraction springs operating-between:

free ends of said latch members and said fuselage urgingsaid latchmembers intoa position to retain engagement with said latch'cut'outs,and" means for manually moving said latch members against the action ofsaid springs toinove-them:

clear of said latch cutoutsto free saidstruts, saidmanual moving meanscomprising a shaft rotatively supported across said fuselage adjacenttheother free ends of'said. latch-z members, dogs mounted on said shaftto turn therewith toengage'the said other free ends of 'said'lat'chmembers and turn said" latch members against the action of said springswhen said shaft-is turned, and means for turning said shaft-terminatingin amanually rotatable handle within:

saidfuselage.

6. In an aircraft, a fuselage, wingspivotally mounted'on'thesidesof'saidfuselage to be-movable between inoperative positions whereinsaid wings are depended along the sides of said fuselage=and operativepositions wherein said wings are laterally extended from the sides of?said fuselage with their adjacent ends overlapped at the top of saidfuselage, and means: forxsup porting saidwings in positions extended"laterally from the sides of said fuselage, said support ing meanscomprising struts pivotally attached at their upper endsto theundersurfaces of'said wings intermediate of their ends, bracketsmountintermediate of their ends, brackets mounted on said fuselage-andthrough which' the lower ends of said strutsextend, said struts hav- 122ed'on said. fuselage and through which the-lower ends of said strutsextend, said struts having their lower ends formed with latch cutouts,and latch memberspivotally mounted on said brackets for engagement withsaid latch cutouts for holding said struts in operative positions inwhich said wings extend laterally from the sides of said fuselage; andmanually controllable electrical means for drawing on said struts tolower said wings to their downward depended positions in the releasedpositions ofv said? latch members.

'75. In. an aircraft, a fuselage, wings pivots-11y mounted on the sidesof said'fuselage to be movable between, inoperative positions whereinsaid wings-are-depended' along the sides of said fuse lage'; and-1operative positions wherein said wings are laterally extended from thesides of said fuselage withtheiradjacent ends overlapped at the; top ofsaid fuselage, and means for supporting said wings in positions extendedlaterally from the sides of said" fuselage, said supporting meanscomprising struts 'pivotaliy attached at their upper ends to theundersurfaces ofsaitl wings. intermediate; or" their ends, bracketsmounted' on said fuselage and through which thelower ends of said'strutsextend, said'struts having their lower ends formed with latch cutouts;andlat'ch members pivotally mounted on said brackets for engagement'withsaid latch cutouts for holding said struts in operative positions in:which said wings extend laterally from the sides-of said-fuselage,-saidstruts being also pro vided with latch cutouts adjacent theirpivoted ends for engagement by said latch'members inthedependedpositions of said wings for holding the wings in theirdepended? positions.

8; In ang-aircraft; a fuselage, Wings pivotally mounted on thesides of'said fuselage to be movable-- between inopera'tive positions whereinsaid win-gs: arev depended along the sides of said fuselage andoperativepositions wherein said wings are. laterally "e-xtendedfrom the sides ofsaid fusolarge with; their adjacent ends. overlapped at the- 11013.01"said. fuselage; and means for; supporting. said; wings 'in1positions;extendedrlater'ally from the: sides ;Of said ,fuselaga; saidsupporting'meanscomprising hooks pivotallyimountedfonthe topmost-.ofsaid-overlappedends of said wings-and, engage-ablev with,a fixed portionof saidfuselage when' said wings extend laterally. from'the sidesofsaid. fuselage, springs urging said hooksinto inoperative positions,andscrews on said fuselage arrangedto be tightened against. said hookshold.- ingthemin.an. operative position engaging the said, fixed portionofv said fuselage against the 'actionof: said springs.

J OHNI MORTKA.

References? Cited in, the file.- of: this; patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber. Name Date 1,019,988 Mullendore Mar. 12, 1912 1,297,264 'SimmsMar. 11, 19.19 1,324,996 Cartus Dec. 16, 1919 1,721,598 Karrasch July23, 1929 1,739,798 McCrea Dec.- 17, 1929 1,761,444 Jones June 3,- 19392,196,819 Vanetta Apr. 9, 1940 2,386,915 Spittl'er Oct. 16, 19452,469,919 Fischer May 10, 1949

